Australian police reported that The Sri lankan National passenger on board Malaysian Airlines flight MH128 who allegedly threatened to blow up the plane and tried to enter the cockpit had been released from a psychiatric facility just hours before boarding the flight.

The 25-year-old purchased a ticket for the flight from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur after he was released from the Monash Medical Centre in Clayton on Wednesday.

The Sri Lankan national was overpowered by crew members and passengers who used belts from their pants to tie his hands as the airliner returned to Melbourne.

Australian counterterrorism police boarded the plane upon landing and the man was taken into custody.